Portfolio



(No Model. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. J BSGHKE.

PORTFOLIO No. 515,687. Patented Feb. 2'7, 1894.

WITNESSES:

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) J W PORTFOLIO.

No. 515,687. Patented-Feb. 27, 1894.

'04: mm UTHOMNG col-ruff. vmaume'mn. n. c.

PATENT FFlCE.

lVLADYSLAUS JESOHKE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

PORTFOLIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 515,687, dated February 27. 1894.

Application filed February 24, 1893- Serial No. 463,618- (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WLADYsLAUs J ESOHKE,

of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Portfolios, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in portfolios andlike files, especially to that class of portfolios or files adapted for carrying music.

The Object of the invention is to construct the portfolio in folding sections, whereby when in the closed position the portfolio will be quite narrow, but when opened for use the covers will present a sufficient area to support sheet music of full size if desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means whereby when a cover is straightened out it will be held in that position, the retaining device acting automatically, and whereby also when the said cover is folded the same retaining mechanism which served to keep the cover unfolded, will act to retain the cover in its folded position without interfering with the flexibility of the cover at the point where the retaining mechanism is located.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing the connected covers or body of the portfolio with a binding leaf adapted to directly receive the music or other sheets to be bound, which leaf will be permanently connected with the body of the portfolio and yet may be expeditiously and conveniently placed in position to admit of the music being connected with the leaf or removed entirely from the portfolio; and whereby further, when the sheets have been connected with the binding leaf the leaf may be so disposed that the sheets can not leave it unless purposely removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portfolio which will be not only compact but which will also be attractive in appearance and simple and economic'in construction.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing the portfolio with a handle which, when the portfolio is being carried,

will be properly spaced from the body, but

which may be made to lie close to the body when the portfolio is opened.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the im proved portfolio in its closed position, the handle being in carrying position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the portfolio partially open, the handle being in its closed position. Fig.3 is a perspective view of the portfolio in its open position, the music, however, being removed from the binding leaf; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the portfolio, illustrating it in an open position and as containing sheet music.

The body of the portfolio consists of two covers A and B, a back 0, connecting the covers, and a flap D, connected with the outer face of the back of one of the covers. The covers are made in sections, preferably two in number, and the sections are adapted to fold one upon the other. In the cover A, for example, the sections are designated as a, and a, and the sections are made of any stiff or stout material, such as card-board, or the equivalent thereof. The sections of the cover A, are connected by a flexible folding section a which folding section is ordinarily so shaped in cross section as to be concaved upon its inner face and convened upon its outersnrface, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The back 0, of the body is also made of a flexible material, and is shaped ordinarily to correspond to the back of any book. With reference to the cover B, of the portfolio,its sections, which are shown as two in number, are designated. as b and b. The sections of the cover B, are preferably made at all times to correspond in number to the sections of the cover A, but while both of the covers may be of the same length or height they are not of the same width, as the cover A, is made wider than the cover B since the former cover is adapted to fold over and upon the latter cover when it has been folded upon itself. The sections of the covers are preferably made of somewhat equal width, so that in folding the portfolio one section of the cover B, is folded over upon the other section, and the cover in its folded position is carried over the inner section a. of the opposite cover A, while to complete the folding of the portfolio the outer section a of the cover A, is made to cover all of the other sections, and the portfolio is locked in its folded position by causing the flap D, it having a hinge connection with the cover, to fold down upon the outer face of the outer section of the cover A, as shown in Fig. l, and the flap and the said cover A may be secured by any suitable form of locking device. The sections 1) and b of the cover B, are connected by a pliable strip 6 which need not be very wide, as it is simply utilized to connect the sections and provide for a hinge connection between them.

A very prominent feature in the construction of the body consists in locating springs E upon the inner face of the cover A, and these springs are located preferably one near the top and the other near the bottom edge of the cover; but a greater or a less number than that illustrated may be employed if in practice it is found desirable. The springs preferably employed are of what is known as the strap pattern, and they extend transversely across the hinge or flexible section a of the cover A. The springs are secured at their ends to the rigid or stiff sections a and a, and the springs are given asufficient fullness or are of such length that when the sec tions of the cover A, are opened out, as shown in Fig. 3, the springs will assume a bow shape, arching over the flexible section a in which position the springs serve to hold the cover A as a whole in the position it would occupy were it made of but one piece. The springs E, however, when the sections of the cover A, are to be folded one over the other, automatically reverse their position, and curve downward and outward to an engagement with the flexible hinge section a and conform to the inner contour or face of said section, as illustrated in Fig. 2. When the springs are in this latter position they serve to maintain the outer section a of the cover A in such position that it may be readily carried over all the sections of the covers when folded, or may be opened out to disclose the interior of the portfolio when desired, the springs at the same time serving to reinforce or strengthen the said flexible section a A leaf F, is employed to bind sheets of music or other sheets in the portfolio. This leaf is made of a flexible material, and is integral with or firmly attached to one cover of the body, the connection between the leaf and the body being usually effected at the inner section of a cover, where said section connects with the back 0 of the body, as shown in Fig. 3. The leaf extends across the back 0, and is adapted to conform to its shape.

The outer portion f of the binding leaf is preferably stiffened in any suitable or approved manner, as this portion of the leaf is adapted to enter a pocket G, produced in or formed upon the inner cover section opp0- site to that to which the binding leaf is pen manent-ly attached. The pocket G, is preferably made quite deep, in order that a considerable portion of the leaf may be entered into it, and thus prevent the leaf from slipping from the pocket.

As the leaf is a fixture in the portfolio it can not be readily lost, and may be both expeditiously and conveniently manipulated to bind sheets of music, or to remove them from such binding. The binding of the sheets is usually accomplished by withdrawing the leaf from its pocket and placing the center of a double sheet, for example, in engagement with the inner .face of that portion of the leaf which extends across the back of the body; and the sheet of music, for example, is held in this position by passing over the sheet and around the leaf a band g, of any approved material, preferably an elastic band. After as, many sheets of music as may be desired have been connected with the leaf, the leaf is introduced into its pocket, and as will be seen by reference to Fig. 4, the sheets of music will be perfectly yet temporarily bound, and any one of the sheets may be readily removed by disengaging it from the band 9,

which is preferably not done, however, until the binding leaf has been removed from its pocket.

A handle H, for the portfolio, is usually located upon the outer face of the back of the body, and the handle at each of its ends has a sliding connection with the body, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby when the portfolio is to be carried the ends of the handle maybe made to approach one another so as to how the central portion, thus enabling a firm grip to be obtained thereon; but when the portfolio is to be used for the display of the music it contains, the ends of the handle are carried away from each other, until the handle throughout its length lies upon the body, as shown in Fig. 2, and the straightening of the handle may be readily accomplished by simply pressing it inward at its central portion.

Many ways maybe devised for effecting a sliding connection between the handle and the body of the portfolio. In the drawings the handle is shown as provided with studs h, located near its ends, the said studs being entered to slide in slots or slideways it, produced longitudinally in the body.

The portfolio, as has heretofore been stated, may be expeditiously and conveniently folded in a manner which will reduce it to quite a small compass; and the portfolio may be as readily unfolded to support full sized sheets of music when the latter is opened out. The

folding of the portfolio is accomplished in the following manner: The outer section b of the cover B, is folded over upon the outer face of the inner section b, and the two sections of the cover B, are then carried over upon the inner section a of the opposite cover A. The outer section a of the cover A, is then folded over upon the corresponding section of the opposite cover, the springs E at that time antomatically engaging with the hinge section a of the cover A, maintaining that cover in what may be termed a curled position. The portfolio is closed by carrying the outer section of the cover A over upon the other folded sections of the portfolio, as shown in Fig. 1, and carrying the fiap D to a locking engagement with the said cover section. In opening the portfolio, as soon as the flap is unlocked from engagement with the cover A, the springs E, will immediately act to throw the section a of the cover outward and open to expose the interior of the portfolio, and will hold that section in that position as long as may be found desirable.

When the portfolio is to be used to display the music, or the full page of any sheet of music, the sections of the cover A, are straightened out, and at that time the springs E, will automatically bow upward and across the hinge section a of the said cover, and will hold the cover, although sectionally constructed, as rigid as though it were made in but one piece.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. In a music portfolio, the combination, with a back comprising two side boards and a flexible strip permanently connecting the same, of a pocket formed upon the inner face of one side board,facing the flexible connecting strip, the pocket being a fixture, and a binding strip of a flexible material, which strip is adapted to cross the flexible connecting strips of the side boards, one end of the binding strip being adapted to enter the said pocket, the other end of the said binding strip being securelyattached to the side board opposite that carrying the pocket, substantially as shown and described, whereby sheet music,

or similar articles in double sheets may be temporarily bound, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a portfolio or like file, a cover constructed in sections, the sections having a pliable connection, and springs crossing said conncction and secured to the sections, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a portfolio or like file, a cover constructed in sections, thesections having a pliable connection, and springs crossing the connection and attached to the sections, the length of the springs being greater than the length of the space over which they are carried, whereby the springs will act to hold the sections, when placed in alignment in that position, and hold them at angles to one another when carried to that position, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a portfolio or like file, a cover constructed in sections, the sections being united by a pliable section concaved upon one face and convexed upon the opposite face, and springs crossing the concaved face of the uniting section, the springs being attached near their ends to the connected sections, the length of" which springs is greater than the width of the space over which they are carried, whereby when the sections are laid flat or in the same horizontal plane the springs will bow above the concaved face of the uniting section, and whereby when the connected sections of the cover are carried at angles to one another the springs will engage with the connected sections and likewise with the concaved face of the connecting section, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a portfolio, a body, the same consisting of two opposed covers connected by a flexible back, each cover being constructed in sections having a pliable connection, one cover being wider than the other, and the connecting section of the wider cover being wider than the corresponding section of the other cover and provided with a concaved inner and a convexed outer face, and springs attached to the connected sections of the wider cover, crossing the concaved face of the connecting section, the springs being of greater length than the width of the space over which they are-carried, as and for the purpose specifled.

6. A portfolio, the same consisting of a body comprising two covers constructed in sections, the sections having a pliable connection, and the covers being united by a flexible back, one of the covers being wider than the other, and its connecting section being provided with a concaved inner and a convexed outer face, springs attached to the connected sections of the wider cover, said springs spanning the connecting section and being bowed, and a binding leaf forming an integral part and a continuation of one of the covers, the said binding leaf being adapted to enter a pocket formed in the opposite cover, as specified.

'7. As an improved article of manufacture, a portfolio or like file, the same consisting of covers constructed in sections, the sections having pliable connections, a flexible back connecting the covers, a pocket produced in one of the covers, springs crossing the connection of the sections in one of the covers, and a binding leaf having integral formation with one cover, which leaf crosses the back and enters the said pocket, substantially as shown and described.

WLADYSLAUS J ESGHKE.

Witnesses:

EDGAR TATE, F. W. HANAFORD. 

